Tyga dropped his new album $TARFACE a couple of weeks ago as he looked to turn himself into an 80s pop star. This new alter ego-driven album has proven to be polarizing, especially in light of songs like Fenix Flexin's "RUBBERZ," which takes on a similar aesthetic.
Recently, the artist admitted that the album was aided by AI. Overall, this is a big no-no in the world of creative expression. Once you admit to AI usage, fans begin to question your authenticity, as well as your intentions.
On Wednesday, Pitchfork published its review of Tyga's new album, and it is a doozy. Writer Drew Millard gave $TAFACE a 0/10. As it turns out, this is the first 0 that Pitchfork has given out in 19 years. The last artist to face such a dishonor was Liz Phair.
Pitchfork Goes Nuclear On Tyga
"The rapper’s slop-pop concept album is smug and complacent and depressing," Millard wrote. "Its very existence has made the world a worse place."
Pitchfork has been known to give harsh reviews to specific artists. There are some artists they are more charitable to than others. But that is the case with practically every music publication. Anthony Fantano gets hit with similar criticisms all the time.
What this really demonstrates, however, is that people, especially critics, are fed up with AI. They are also fed up with the cynical gimmicks. 80s revivalism has become a crutch to revive broken careers. It's hard to take the sound seriously right now, especially in the context of how it is being used.
If you're an artist who wants to go down the 80s pipeline, you better be sure you come with the best material possible.
